Jealous
by Chaseforever
Summary: Raimundo meets a girl who Kimiko dislikes deeply and goes out with her. Kimiko realizes that she loves him, but how can she get him to see that beauty isn't everything? RaixKim
1. Katrina Sanders

Yeah. I am gonna start a NEW ONE. After all those weeks of collecting dust in my old ones, I'm doing another one. I don't think I can handle it, but I just had to put this idea down. It was a really good idea, and I didn't want to forget it. So…enjoy Chapter 1 of Jealous.

--

Kimiko, Raimundo and Clay were going to the mall to help Omi act more normal. They weren't sure how Omi would react, but revolutionizing Omi was an exciting thought. They decided to go to a shop that included girl's and boy's clothing, since most clothes shops did, and also because Kimiko said she needed to go on a shopping spree once in a while. So Clay and Raimundo cruised the boy's section while Kimiko walked through the girl's racks. It was a perfect idea.

From the first moment, Omi began shopping with his famous Omi-ness. "What is this horribly ugly black thing? And why is it so furry?" Raimundo rolled his eyes, already frustrated. "Dude, Omi," he said, trying to be patient, "it's called a sweater. And actually, I kinda agree. It _is_ ugly."

"Hey, I gotta go to the bathroom," Clay's accented voice came through as he ran towards the bathroom stalls. Raimundo snorted at Clay's panicky voice. It sounded as if Clay really needed to go badly.

Without noticing it, Raimundo and Omi strolled into the girl's section. Then Raimundo noticed the pink walls and the dresses. "Um…Omi? I think we might be in the wrong section of the clothing store," Raimundo said uneasily. But it was too late. Omi had already found something he wanted.

"Raimundo," Omi said, pausing. "I like this. What is it?"

Raimundo turned to look at the pink ribbons Omi was holding in his hand, and laughed without being able to restrain himself or even think about it. He covered his mouth, and with a big smile on his face said, "Omi, um. Those are kind of…for girls?"

"Oh, yes," Omi said. "But they are very pretty."

"Yeah…well… that's kind of the reason why they're for girls," Raimundo said, gesturing hopelessly. Omi was such a bigheaded loser sometimes, but also kick-butt when he wanted to be. Right now, Omi was on the first side. Raimundo felt a little pity for Omi and the fact that he wanted to walk around with pink ribbons on his head that had no hair to even stick the ribbons on.

"Oh…yes," Omi said, looking disappointed. Raimundo tried to hold back the laughter that was struggling to burst any second. But he knew he had to stay calm for Omi's sake. After all, it wasn't Omi's fault he was brought up in a temple.

Raimundo walked further and found a sweatshirt he thought was cool. He was annoyed when Omi took a look at it and prodded, "Raimundo, what is this? It looks like some kind of upper body…but why is the head dropped back like that? I could never do that."

"Um, Omi? It's called a sweatshirt. And the 'drooped head'? It's called a hood. So there you go. Does that explain it?" Raimundo said, his voice filled with snide. He wasn't going to last much longer if Omi kept asking him stupid things like this. Where was Clay when you really needed him?

--

Kimiko was still looking around the shop. So far, all the clothes had been totally dismal. But she was sure she would find something nice. She didn't want to keep wearing her old clothes, and just a week ago her father had sent her a large amount of cash for someone her age- $500. She wasn't going to spend all of it on clothes, but she liked the thought of being at least a couple of new clothes.

She wandered for a while, but still found all the clothes too thick or too lacy to wear. Kimiko sighed, ready to give up and head back. She turned and looked at the last row of clothes to wear. Yes! She made a hand gesture signaling delight and ran over. There were many skirts that matched her color, many sweatshirts and T-shirts that looked great and would definitely fit her. It was perfect timing, really, for them to show up. She was just about to give up, after all.

Kimiko was suddenly aware of footsteps. She turned around to see a girl facing her. The girl had amazingly shiny blond hair, emanating a glow that could have come from the sun, with long yellow strands lay at her shoulders, silky and bright. Her blue eyes looked like the very depth of the ocean itself, with light around the corners, flowing perfectly into the sapphire color. Kimiko gasped at this girl, feeling sure that it was a movie star or a supermodel. She wasn't sure what to say.

The girl merely looked at Kimiko for a few seconds, then sniffed. A look of disapproval filled the cerulean eyes, and the girl opened her mouth for the first time. "Who are you? That skirt you're holding in your arms, it's so out-of-fashion."

Kimiko's temper flared. Even if that girl was a movie star… "Look who's talkin'! Why are you wearing a bikini out here? What are you, some stripper?"

"Don't talk to me that way!" The girl said angrily. She slammed her bag onto Kimiko's amazed face. Kimiko recoiled immediately, stepping back. She was stunned. What was wrong with this girl?

"What's your problem, you loser?" Kimiko retorted angrily, still touching the spot where the purse had hit her. She winced. It hurt a lot.

"I just told you _not _to talk to me like that!" the girl repeated, whacking Kimiko with the bag again. "For your information, you ugly little girl, I'm Katrina Sanders, and I'm the richest and coolest and prettiest girl here!"

"You're obnoxious, that's what you are," Kimiko said. The girl gave her a flaming look and walked away with her nose hung high. Kimiko would have laughed if she weren't still hurt by the sting of the hard purse. What had the blond model-girl put in that purse anyways? Rocks?

Kimiko dropped the skirt into her bag, glaring at the direction the girl had turned to. She then turned and walked out the door, waiting for Omi and the rest of them to come back out. She couldn't go in the boy's section of the store.

--

Raimundo and Clay gave exasperated sighs. The day that was to be a success ended up a total failure. Omi had bought two pink sneakers from when he revisited the girl's part of the shop that he thought were for his ears, and a pair of pants about ten sizes too large. Raimundo shook his head sadly, wondering if Omi had always been what he called a 'girly boy'. Clay helped Omi get some blue jackets on, but Omi preferred red ones. Unfortunately, there were no red ones, so Omi had to walk away from the dressing room sulkily. When the three to them came out of the shop, none of them had happy expressions on their faces. Raimundo looked plain mad, Clay looked tired and bored, and Omi looked disappointed at the little selection in the boy's area.

Kimiko saw them and ran over to them, asking, "So, how did it go with Omi's first time shopping?" She winked at Omi.

"It was…It was…" Clay searched for words. Raimundo found them first. "A complete fiasco, that's what it was."

"Oh. Well, at least you guys don't have to do it again," Kimiko said cheerfully. Raimundo gave her a slow, teasing, 'are you nuts?' look.

Suddenly, the door behind them opened again. And out came a girl, a girl who had silky blond hair that glowed like nothing anyone had ever seen before. Her eyes were sheer beauty as she stepped out with a blue bikini and a flowing blue skirt. When she saw Kimiko, she gave her a disgusted look. But even Kimiko had to feel sorry for Omi, the way she looked at him- it was as if nothing in the world was more horrifying than a little guy with a bald head. She grimaced at Clay's rough and rowdy appearance, but when she looked at Raimundo she gave him a slow smile.

Raimundo was gazing at her starry-eyed. He reached his hand out to her, which she pulled back almost immediately. He didn't stop. His green eyes were filled with innocent hope as he spoke. "W-w-will you g-go out with me?" he asked. Kimiko heard this, and her temper flared dangerously. She also felt some level of hurt, although she didn't understand why she felt that way.

"Sorry, but no can do. You're just a normal guy, however hot you may be," Katrina Sanders replied. She walked off, leaving three dazzled males behind and a Japanese girl who was just about blowing her steam off.

"She is _very pretty_," Omi said, still gazing at the distant figure of the stunning girl.

"Even prettier than Dyrus," Clay said in a choking voice.

"I'm gonna be her boyfriend no matter what," Raimundo said. "I'll figure something out. Somehow, I'm going to make her appreciate me."

Kimiko's face was filled with outrage as she shouted at her friends. "Don't you guys get it? SHE DOESN"T EVEN CARE ABOUT YOU! That idiot Katrina thinks she's so high-class and crap, but she's just a pretty face! Even you, Rai! All she cares about is getting some popular freak like her, you guys! So get over it! She's never going to like any of you because she's a snob!"

Kimiko felt so angry at Raimundo and his remarks, she wanted to explode right then and there. Why did Raimundo like her? What did Katrina Sanders have that Kimiko didn't have?

_Oh, my God,_ Kimiko thought. _Why did I think that? D-do I…It's impossible. How can I be jealous over a guy I never liked?_

Kimiko shut out the voice inside her head, the one that said, _But you are jealous, Kimiko. You love him._

Kimiko burst and ran at that moment, back to the Xiaolin temple. She felt hot tears springing from her eyes, but she ignored them. She felt angry, confused and sad, but she shunned those feelings. She felt Raimundo's arm touching hers, but she still ran anyways.

She was in a sea of sorrow that would never lift, and she felt herself falling and falling, deeper into Katrina's cold blue eyes like the ocean itself.

--

It's weird, isn't it? I won't give you any spoilers on the outcome though, like I usually do. I don't even know the outcome myself. Jack quote: "It's, uh, a work in progress, see?" Please read and review it. Thanks.


	2. Raimundo the Hero

Oookay. 'Jealous' again. So…not much to say about it, except for please enjoy and review. I'm glad that a lot of people liked this so far, it could end up the most popular of my stories. I'm hoping to get at least 6 reviews per chapter, but I'm not going to bribe anyone. I'm just saying, I'll try to get updating a little bit faster if people review more. :)

--

Kimiko held her grudge, every single day after the incident with Katrina on the day they had decided to bring Omi to the mall. All three of them tried to comfort her and talk to her so that she wouldn't be angry, but each attempt was a miserable failure. She was _not _in the mood to talk to any of them, because they were the reason she was so angry and bitter. Why, why did they have to like Katrina before they even knew her? Omi, especially, was such a fool when it came to Katrina. There was hope, innocent and happy, reflected in his black eyes, but whenever Kimiko looked at this blind hope that held Omi in its grasp she saw an image of despair instead. Clay, too, was hopeful in a way that made Kimiko feel sorry for him. Couldn't they see the truth? Katrina didn't care about either of them.

As for Raimundo… Kimiko didn't even want to think about him. She knew that somewhere deep in her heart, she had loved him. But she had never admitted it to him, and now he was falling for someone else, a spectacular blonde whose beauty made Kimiko feel sick. Once, when Kimiko was awake, she heard Raimundo whispering in his dreams the words, "Katrina, please…" in a happy tone. It made Kimiko feel like she was about to throw up, and Kimiko didn't get any sleep at all that night.

She wanted to be reasonable and tell herself that Raimundo would get over Katrina, and it shouldn't matter to her who Raimundo liked anyways, but every time she tried to convince herself she ended up feeling feeble and even more unhappy.

The thing was, Katrina Sanders and Raimundo Pedrosa actually seemed to match together. In her mind, it actually seemed almost right for them to be together. Raimundo, with his sleek and shiny brown hair spiking at the top, his emerald eyes glinting with a softer green blended well into his eyes, and his dazzling white smile was nothing short of perfection as far as boys' standards went, now that Kimiko actually thought about it. His Brazilian demeanor gave him an air of confidence somehow. And Katrina… she was probably the most beautiful person that ever existed. There was this clean, pristine quality that clung to her, as well as her fashionable clothes and the features lighting her face that was to die for. Together, they would look perfect…

She brushed off the wet tears that fell onto her face. She hadn't even noticed that she had been crying, but now they came down in big droplets. She felt more sliding across as she thought of Katrina's image with Raimundo.

_But she isn't right for him, _Kimiko thought fiercely. _He's a kind person, and he wants to help save people, while she goes around being a snobby little girl who can't do anything to help people. It wouldn't be right for them, with personalities and characters so different, to get together, would it?_

It comforted her a little to think that. Raimundo really didn't belong with Katrina, although both of them were dazzling in looks. She was mean and stupid, and Raimundo was good and intelligent.

Kimiko fell down into her bed, exhausted. The softness of the pillow felt good, and she ran her hand through. Her silky strands of hair slid slowly onto the pillow, laying at her hands. She felt them and smiled slowly. It felt good to be here.

_Kim, it's okay. Katrina won't come back again, anyways._

--

It was morning. The dawn's first light streamed through the bedroom windows that belonged to Kimiko, Raimundo, Omi and Clay. All of them were still sleeping quietly, unaware of the light that was rising with the sun.

Raimundo woke with a start, breaking out in sweat. He had had a dream last night, and in it something had gone wrong with the town that he was living near. He worried a little, wondering if it was just a dream or a real vision…

Screams echoed, again and again, in his head. He couldn't tell if they were real or just memories, but he didn't want to know. What if…? He had to see. Raimundo walked to the window and saw, to his horror, a woman running right at the temple, screaming for help. She had familiar blonde hair, hair that only one person he knew could have… no, it was too old to be Katrina. And she looked different, too. Her eyes were a mere gray-blue, not the deep color in Katrina's azure eyes, and her frame seemed too large. Raimundo didn't know for sure, but he highly suspected this woman of being Katrina's mother.

"Please," she gasped, unable to get enough air. "Y-you've got to help, whoever you are! I know you can do it. T-the town…it's on fire, and my house is burned down. My daughter… Katrina…she's in there!"

"What?" Raimundo shouted in alarm. "Katrina's in danger?"

"Yes, yes," the woman said, her voice growing more firm. "Do you know her?"

"Yeah," Raimundo said. "I'll explain later. But I gotta go. She needs me now."

"Yes," Mrs. Sanders said softly. "Go," she beckoned to him.

Raimundo ran like he had never run before, with only the wind carrying him as he went on and on, across the plains and valleys and mountains. Finally, he saw a welcome sign that was covered in bright red flames. It was horrible, the ashes that covered the ground. And the fire was still burning, spreading all across. He needed Omi now, but Omi wasn't even awake yet. He would have to do this himself, and save Katrina's life. He couldn't let someone so beautiful die, nor could he allow any other person in the village to be killed by the fire either.

"Wudai Star- Wind!" he shouted, with confidence so great it matched the burning intensity of the slowly spreading fire.

The fire streamed upwards, higher and higher with the wind. It seemed like a tornado, almost, only it was made out of fire. The flames dances and struggled, but couldn't resist the great force of the wind. Raimundo kept his concentration and his powers controlled, and threw the fire along with the wind he had created into a river he had encountered while running.

As it fell into the water, the flames seethed angrily but eventually got absorbed into the water, which now emitted smoke and ashes that lay on the otherwise smooth and flat surface. Raimundo breathed a sigh of relief as he watched this, and he could see the suburban people flocking to their hero. He also noted a house that must have been rich and large before the fire. It must have belonged to Katrina, he thought, and he hoped that she had made it out all right.

Everyone carried him in their arms, making him feel slightly embarrassed but nonetheless happy that he had saved them. He was lifted and paraded for about twenty minutes, then welcomed to eat food. The community was quite welcoming to him, and he was glad that he had saved everyone from total destruction. He wondered with a small curiosity what had started the fire, but forgot about it as he talked with the boys in one fairly large house parallel to Katrina's ruined one.

Bursting through the crowd she came, as beautiful as ever. It barely took him a second to notice her coming towards him, for her hair was so bright that even someone who was half-blind could have seen it distinctly. In the sun, it shone even brighter than before, when they had first met at the mall. Katrina was smiling again at Raimundo, only this time her smile was wider. She gave him a seductive glance that made him feel as if he was going to faint. Everything about her was wonderful to behold.

"Katrina," Raimundo said, feeling slightly ajar.

"Raimundo," she breathed in that soft and soothing voice of hers, "Thank you so much for saving me and the rest of the town. I couldn't have survived, not without you. You saved us-everyone here."

"Yeah," Raimundo said subconsciously. His mind was floating, and he felt slightly dizzy even glancing at her. He suddenly felt a sensation on his cheek, a feeling that made him wonder if he was in heaven.

Katrina had kissed him lightly there, giving him a bright smile. Raimundo had caught a small part of the scent that belonged to her, and that alone was enough to make him or anyone else dazed with love. And the kiss… it tickled and made him feel warm. It was the most wonderful thing that he had ever received in his life, that he was sure of.

"Will you go out with me now?" Raimundo asked, gently feeling her arms.

"Yes," Katrina whispered smoothly.

--

Yeah. As you can see, Katrina has gone through a major change simply because Raimundo is now a hero. And…she's going out with Rai! Next chapter, you can find out what Kim thinks of this business. (wince) I'm pretty proud of this chapter, since I actually spent quite a deal of time on it. I hope you'll like it too, even though Kimiko's going to be REALLY furious. If anyone has any suggestions or ideas, feel free to tell me about them. Don't worry, it'll end out okay for Rai and Kim.


	3. Kimiko's Breakdown

Yes, I'm alive again. 　And I figured I'd update this story first… for no reason. My family didn't have Internet connection for a long time though… so I apologize. Thanks for staying with me. Haven't written for a long time, so sorry if I've lost my touch :) Review if you can!

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Kimiko woke up to a start, her forehead covered in cold sweat. She had had a bad dream, but now that she was awake she couldn't seem to remember what it was about. She did remember one tiny detail- Raimundo was in it. She shook her head, trying to figure out what had happened.

"Ugh," Kimiko said. "What is wrong with me? Why am I dreaming about _Raimundo_?"

She hated how Raimundo had been so dazzled by Katrina Sanders. Why couldn't he understand that Katrina was self-centered, spoiled, and conceited? Kimiko just didn't comprehend. Raimundo deserved someone so much better than Katrina could ever be, and it made her angry every time she thought of that last scene with them together. And what was worse- Omi and Clay agreed with him, too! She knew that the other monks' approval would only lead to him wanting her even more- Raimundo's warrior pride made him like that, wanting to surpass others.

Kimiko decided one thing: she wasn't going to sit around and just let Katrina snatch the boy she'd crushed on for months. So instead of spending her morning reading, Kimiko decided to make herself as pretty as she possibly could. Maybe then Raimundo would recognize what he was throwing away.

She sifted through her drawers. Finally, after trying on about twenty different combinations of outfits, she managed to find the perfect fit: a gray zip hoodie with a bold-red tank top underneath and a silk skirt. She put on her special diamond earrings- her father had bought them for her on her tenth birthday, saying that it signified her first decade of life- and a matching necklace that glimmered even in the dim lights of the Xiaolin temple at morning.

She was ready. Or so she hoped.

---

Raimundo was eager to share the news with his fellow monks… except for Kimiko. He had this feeling that she wouldn't take it too well when he told them, but he shrugged it off. But he was inexplicably happy. The thought of seeing Katrina Sanders, the blonde beauty again, made a pleasant tingle run down his spine. He felt warm thinking of his new girlfriend. She was just so gorgeous.

He burst the door open. Everyone was awake and practicing their moves. Raimundo stood there, a little awkwardly, wondering if he should call for everyone's attention or just wait until someone noticed him.

"Raimundo!" Kimiko said. "Where were you this morning? I was looking for you."

He felt guilty now, but he tried to mask it. He gave Kimiko a glance and then looked down at the floor. "I was, uh… well, it's a long story."

Kimiko looked very pretty in the skirt and hoodie, he noted. But Katrina was much prettier. He loved her straight white-blondish hair, her deep blue eyes and her enchanting smile that showed the laser-whiteness of her teeth. Still, it was nice to see Kimiko's sweet face again. She smiled at him, and he felt his heart beat quicker.

"So what happened?" Kimiko said.

"Okay… well…" Raimundo was interrupted.

"Hello, my friend Raimundo!" Omi said loudly, landing in between Kimiko and Raimundo, who jumped away immediately.  
"Omi, you scared me!" Kimiko exclaimed.

"I am sorry," Omi said. "But I was merely wishing to say hello to Raimundo. I did not see him this morning."

"Neither did I, pardner," Clay said. "Whut happened to ya, Raimundo?"

"Um…," Raimundo hesitated. How would he keep Kimiko from finding out about him and Katrina? He sighed. He would tell the truth this time… even if it meant Kimiko was going to slap him.

"This lady ran over here when I woke up and she said that the nearby town was on fire, so I ran to rescue everyone. I used my wind powers to move the water in the lake out in a tornado formation, and then I sent it down towards the village as quickly as I could. The fire was really big and it took a lot of my energy, but I did it. All that water blew out the fire, I guess. It was pretty fun, actually. I kinda thought everyone would be mad that I hadn't come earlier, because a bunch of houses were burnt to the ground, but almost everyone crowded me and lifted me up and cheered. It was awesome. And I saw that hot girl, Katrina in the crowd, too. She actually came up and congratulated me. Too bad her house got burned down, though. But anyways… she said she would be my girlfriend since I saved her village," Raimundo said, trying to say the last sentence really fast that maybe Kimiko wouldn't hear him.

No such luck. "You did _what_?" Kimiko asked.

"Um, I asked her out. And she said yes," Raimundo said. He knew where this conversation was heading, and he looked for some way out. Maybe he could pretend he needed to use the bathroom? Or maybe he could even tell them he had made the whole thing up and he had really spent his time eating burgers at McDonald's, or something stupid like that. But it would have been lying, and something in his warrior blood wouldn't permit him to do that. So he finally just accepted defeat and stared down at the floor, waiting for Kimiko to do whatever she was about to do.

Nothing happened for a long time, but Raimundo kept his gaze steadily on the ground. He thought he heard light footsteps, but he didn't look up. He was too ashamed to do that, for some reason. It was strange, because he certainly didn't owe Kimiko anything, and he shouldn't have to feel guilty about going out with Katrina. It wasn't like he had my any promises to Kimiko. Yet for some reason, he felt a hungry guilt that was insatiable sitting in his heart. It had something to do with the fact that he had hurt Kimiko deeply, he knew that for sure. After a full minute, Raimundo finally decided to look up and see what they were all doing. Suddenly he realized that only Omi and Clay were there. What had happened to Kimiko?

Omi and Clay were both staring at him in silence, wondering what he would do next. Raimundo thought he saw the slightest sign of pity in their eyes, as well as a look he couldn't quite define. It said something like 'You shouldn't have done that'. Which made him feel even worse. But Raimundo was still confused about Kimiko. Where did she go?

The room was eerily silent, and Raimundo couldn't bring himself to break that silence. Everyone was avoiding each other's glances, and tension was thick in the air. Finally, Raimundo heard what he had been listening for- a clue to Kimiko's whereabouts. He could hear her shuffling in her bedroom stall. And, although he couldn't be too sure, he heard a soft noise, the slightest of sounds, echoing through the empty training room. A sniffle and heavy breathing, coming from Kimiko's stall. For the first time since Raimundo had met her, she was crying. She had finally broken down. Kimiko Tohomiko, daughter of the famous video game creator, Xiaolin warrior, super-rich Japanese girl, was crying.

--

Thanks for reading! Please review, I haven't had reviews in so long :x


	4. Another Confrontation

Raimundo physically cringed as the deep guilt suddenly overwhelmed him. This was the first time he had ever caused anyone to cry. And it struck him bitterly that he had done this to one of his best friends, not one of his constant enemies. Why had this happened? A small, selfish part of him said, _It's _her _fault for overreacting. Why should I bother comforting her when I didn't do anything wrong?_ But another part of him realized that he had known all along that this would happen. He had hurt her intentionally, although not with that original intent. He knew that Kimiko would be sad, and that was why he had dreaded telling her the news today, but he had allowed himself to overlook that consequence when he made his choice because of his own desires. And now he felt nothing but an inexplicably sharp guilt pulling on his heart, and no matter how hard he tried he could not force this emotion out of him.

He was torn. _Do I go to her and say I'm sorry? But what exactly do I apologize for, anyway? Asking Katrina out when I knew how much Kimiko hated her? That's not exactly wrong, is it? Then why do I feel so bad about this whole situation?_ The more he thought about it, the more he couldn't get his feelings straight. And he wanted to go over and apologize to Kimiko right now, but he didn't seem to have that courage that usually went with resolve. He knew that he couldn't deal with another confrontation that would probably make him feel even worse, and who knew how Kimiko would react? So he sat still, wallowing in floods of guilt that would not evaporate.

--

The loathsome tears kept flowing down her cheeks, no matter how hard she willed them to stop coming. For the third time in only three days, Kimiko was crying. She'd never felt this much pain before, and had never imagined that it would be over Raimundo. There was more to it than simply hating Katrina and her obnoxious, catty attitude and feeling insecure about the fact that Raimundo obviously preferred Katrina. This was about more than herself now, and it was beginning to hurt even more.

She understood somehow that Raimundo would probably eventually realize that Katrina was not right for him. She was sure that her conceited attitude, even if it was combined with that blinding beauty, would eventually become unbearable for someone like Raimundo, who possessed a subtle wisdom of life through his experiences and hardships. But if he remained because of his pride as Katrina's boyfriend, to submit to all her arbitrary tastes and wishes, he would be torturing himself and straining his ability to love.

If Katrina had been someone who actually deserved Raimundo in some way, Kimiko knew she would still have felt an equal power of opposition. But that would be jealousy stemmed from her own selfish vanity, and it would go away once she found someone else. But in these circumstances, knowing that the boy she loved had fallen blindly for a beautiful monster, she felt a strange, desperate, almost cutting pity that she knew would settle in her heart unless she found a way to help him. Katrina would only hurt Raimundo, and she had to do something about it. Even if it meant abandoning some of her principles...

--

Katrina Sanders was lying in her new bedroom in a local mansion her parents had 'bought' temporarily until they could begin construction on a new and improved mansion. Well actually, it wasn't their mansion, it was a summer vacation house that happened to be in China, but it was still necessary to build another one if they wanted to survive the rest of the summer in this place. It was tiresome dealing with the aftermath of the fire, and she was annoyed that all of her clothes had all been singed with flames. Her mother had promised to let her go on a huge shopping spree by tomorrow, but unfortunately they would have to hire a new chauffeur first since their previous one had sustained some burn-related injuries. Everything was a big mess because of that stupid fire, and Katrina was definitely not happy about it.

She smiled slightly at the thought of that boy Raimundo, however. He definitely was cute, that was for sure. Of course the fire would be in the news, and since she and her family were practically celebrities because of their wealth and looks, everyone would be amazed to find out that their mansion had burned down. And it would add a nice romantic touch to the whole thing if it got out somehow that she was now going out with the incredibly good-looking boy who saved her life… it would keep everyone talking for weeks, she thought smugly. The only problem was, he wasn't famous. And according to him, he boarded at some local temple. That was _so _not suitable. She'd have to spend some money to make him seem much cooler, of course. Why not start now? This empty mansion was really boring, anyway.

--

"Looks like we've got a visitor," Dojo announced. "I was flying over the trees today and I saw a girl heading in this direction. She'll be here in about five minutes, judging from the distance."

"A visitor? We never get visitors, except Jack Spicer, and he only comes to steal Sheng Gong Wu. Who could it be?" wondered Omi, surprised.

"I have an idea it's got somethin' to do with Raimundo," Clay said thoughtfully. "I wonder if he told that blonde girl where the temple was."

"We should go tell Raimundo," Omi said, and ran over to Raimundo's stall. "Raimundo! Dojo is saying there is a girl here to see you."

"What?" Raimundo asked, shocked. Could it be… Katrina? "Now?"

"She will be here in five minutes." Omi shrugged and smiled.

"Uh, thanks, Omi." Raimundo turned his back on his companion and considered this. It couldn't be anyone other than Katrina, and he had wanted to see her ever since he left the party in the village. But that feeling had been repressed by the apprehension he felt from facing Kimiko, and now he wasn't sure if he wanted to see Katrina at that moment. He was too busy trying to sort out how he felt in relation to how he was supposed to feel, and he couldn't seem to simply _feel _anymore. Suddenly nothing seemed simple anymore.

Then a thought occurred to him, swiftly and suddenly as if it were a slap in the face. Kimiko was crying right now. If she heard Katrina's voice and saw her, who knew what would happen? All he knew was that the tension between the three of them would definitely intensify, something he did not want to happen. He resolved to hurry and go out to meet Katrina in front of the dojo, then take her somewhere else. At least if Kimiko found out, she wouldn't be able to do anything about it until he got back, and he would have time to figure something out by then. It was a cowardly move, he knew, but he wanted to avoid a head-on meeting between the three of them at all costs.

He glanced out the window. He could see Katrina, on the far side of the horizon, her golden hair lightly bouncing on her shoulders as she walked, model-style, towards the dojo. The sight of her made his heart ache, both with love and admiration of her beauty and the small, guilty pang that evidently still afflicted him. Telling Omi and Clay that he would be going to the nearby restaurant with Katrina and would be back later, he headed out to see his new girlfriend. He slowly walked out of the temple and towards her figure, waving as he got close.

"Hey, Katrina. I didn't know you would be coming over here today," he said shyly, happy to see her.

"Of course not. I wanted to make it a surprise, but it seems like you saw me before I got there," Katrina said coolly. "Aren't you going to invite me in?"

"Nah, there's nothing to really do in there," he muttered, wondering how he had managed to simultaneously do the right thing and be wrong. "We can go somewhere nice, like that new Chinese restaurant in the city."

Katrina brightened. "That sounds more suitable for us. But do you really have to stay in that mess of a temple while you're here?"

"What do you mean?" Raimundo asked, alarmed.

"Well, it seems awfully poor," Katrina explained briskly. "Wouldn't you rather live with my family in our new mansion? You could stay in the guesthouse. I'm sure my parents would feel honored to let you stay here. After all, you saved me and half the town from that huge fire, and my mother says she would love to see you again so she can thank you personally."

"Well…um…" Raimundo hesitated. There was no way he could abandon the temple, and he was repulsed by the thought of leaving his friends, but Katrina's words hit him hard. He had never thought of the temple as poor; it was always simply a part of his journey here as an apprentice. But Katrina was so much more rich and classy than anyone he'd ever met, and if he wanted to impress her, he knew he would have to find some way of proving himself 'unpoor'. "I honestly don't think I can right now. Maybe when I'm done with my training."

"Which'll be soon, right?" Katrina asked with utter confidence. She was so used to getting what she wanted all the time because of her beauty and wealth that she was completely assured that she would. Raimundo sensed that hardly anyone had ever refused her even once, and by the second time she asked they were so intimidated that they felt compelled to listen to her even if it went against their honor and morality.

"Yeah, probably," Raimundo said casually, hating himself for submitting to the irresistible combination of beauty and certainty.

"Good. So, how far away is this restaurant we're going to?"

"Probably about… a ten-minute walk or so?" Raimundo said.

"Another ten minutes?" Katrina complained. "It took me fifteen minutes to walk here, and that was only because we don't have a chauffeur right now and I was incredibly bored. I absolutely _never _have to walk like this, and I'm not going that far unless you find some other way of getting there."

Raimundo sighed inwardly. "Well, there's always Dojo…"

"Dojo?" Katrina asked. "What's that?"

"The, um, dragon of the temple. He says really weird things sometimes and it'll probably be a scary first time riding on him for you, but hopefully everything'll turn out okay if we use him as our transportation," Raimundo explained, hoping that Katrina wouldn't think it was weird and creepy that he had a dragon.

"You own a dragon?" Katrina asked, her eyes wide in amazement. "Are you serious? I've never seen one before! That's so cool! Everyone will be talking about us riding on a dragon… Let's do it!"

Raimundo was slightly surprised by her reaction. "You don't mind at all? You won't be scared, will you?"

"Well…maybe," Katrina suddenly grimaced, probably imagining what riding a scaly, snakelike creature in midair would be like. "But you'll protect me, won't you?"

"Of course I will," Raimundo said, relaxing. Maybe he wouldn't have to be so tense all the time for their date. Katrina actually wanted to ride a dragon. That was definitely a start…

Right that moment the sound of an opening door interrupted their conversation, startling Raimundo. Somehow, with a feeling of terrible dread, he knew which of the monks had just come out…

Katrina gasped. "It's you again!"

Kimiko gave her a polite, unfathomable smile. "I'm glad you remember me."

Raimundo watched Kimiko suspiciously. What was she up to? Why was she acting… nice? Did she have something planned? This was definitely not good. Kimiko had found out about his date with Katrina already.

Katrina looked up distrustfully at Raimundo. "You never told me she lived in your temple."

"She's…um… another student," Raimundo said awkwardly.

"Yeah, me and Rai are at the same level of training here at the temple, so we see each other around a lot. We're on the same team and everything." Kimiko's tone was complacent, but there was a slight edge to her voice that Katrina noticed and felt threatened by. Just how close _was _this girl to Raimundo, anyway? Apparently she knew him well enough to call him _Rai _instead of Raimundo, and she hated that fact.

"Well, anyway. Raimundo and I should get going." Katrina looked pointedly at Kimiko, glaring her down. Her piercing blue eyes seemed to say, _Leave or I'll ruin you._

"Hey Rai, mind if I come with you guys? I've really wanted to go to that new restaurant, but with all our training and stuff I haven't had the time." Kimiko smiled innocuously.

Raimundo couldn't exactly refuse, especially after that last encounter. "Well, I guess so. Do you mind?" he asked Katrina, his eyes pleading with her not to take this the wrong way.

"Not at all," Katrina replied coolly. Her eyes were narrowed, but she refused to simply back down to Kimiko by complaining.

"Great. Thanks," Kimiko said smugly. Raimundo sighed, resigning himself to the fact that Kimiko would be with them the whole time. He went to fetch Dojo, and a few minutes later the three were soaring through the open skies of China, tied together by fate's volatile bonds.


End file.
